Diets

Are you thinking of going on a diet? Are you confused with all the different types of diets? Doing a bit of research is probably your best course of action as there are so many different diets it can be confusing. Some of the more well know diets are the Atkins diet, the Zone diet, and the South Beach diet. The Atkins diet is about changing the way your body works – you burn fat more efficiently by reducing the amount of refined carbohydrates and eating a diet with adequate levels of protein, good fat and a variety of good carbon hydrates. The Zone diet advocates consuming calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat in a ratio of 40%/30%/30%. The South Beach diet is a diet plan which emphasizes the consumption of "good carbohydrates" and "good fats".

When choosing a diet it is important to ensure the diet is nutritionally balanced and whether it is practical and easy to follow. Low calorie diets are where you ensure you intake of calories is controlled. The amount of calories each person needs is different due to your weight and activity level, generally your calorie intake should be somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 a day. As long as you ensure your diet contains all the essential nutrients you will maintain good health.

Any healthy should include:

• Vitamins and minerals =
to ensure your getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals you need to ensure you have a daily intake of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables and chose only fresh foods.
• Protein =
to ensure you get adequate protein in your diet, make sure you eat 2-3 servings from the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts. Protein is needed to renew body tissue like teeth and skin.
• Carbohydrates =
to ensure you have the correct fluid balance and to prevent fatigue you need to consume at least 100 grams of carbohydrates which can be found in . Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta.
• Fibre =
you need 20 to 30 grams of fibre to ensure your bowels function properly.
• Water =
water is very important and you should consume at least 8 to 10 glasses, 8 ounces each, of water or water-based beverages, per day. More water is needed if you exercise a lot.

Different types of diets:

Fixed-menu diet.
With a fixed menu diet you will get a list of all the different types of foods you will eat. This makes the diet easy to follow however it can make the diet boring as the food choices are minimal. Exchange-type diet.
With an exhange- type of diet you have a meal plan with a set number of servings from each food group. The foods within each group are equal in calories and can be interchanged as you wish. This type of diet offers you more day to day variety which makes it easier to follow.

Prepackaged-meal diet.
With a prepackaged diet you have to buy prepackaged meals with can be costly. However you will learn what are appropriate portion sizes.

Formula diet.
Formula diets are based on consuming liquid formulas. They are easy to follow and promote short-term weight loss but they do not teach you how to make healthy food choices and once off the diet most people easily regain the weight.

Questionable diets.
These types of diets suggest you eat a certain nutrient, food, or combination of foods. These diets do make you loose weight in the short term but they are not well balanced and nutritious enough.

Flexible diets.
These type of diets suggest you choose whether you want to eat fat only, calories only, or the combination of the two and the amount of food you eat. This flexible type of approach works well for many people and it is useful as it teaches you how to control what you eat.

The most important thing about any diet is the you ensure your diet is well balanced with plenty of minerals and vitamins. It should also ensure that you choose a diet you can keep up with and one where you have to select and prepare healthy foods which will ensure you don’t regain weight once you have hit your target weight.